Sara Oreum 사라오름

Election day holiday!  It would be so nice if America had a holiday on Election day just like Korea!  I took some time away from my studying on this day to take a hike to Sara Oreum (pronounced 'Sah-rah').  It was an incredible day to go.  A cold snap just came to Korea, and it snowed a bit the night before.  I got a bit of a late start and didn't get to the entrance until noon.  I think the timing ended up perfectly though, the light was really nice, the clouds cleared, and the snow and rime still covered the trees.  The trail up Seongpanak is pretty uneven and tough on the knees, but it's nice in the winter when the snow fills in the rocks.  All you need is some mini crampons (아이젠) that strap to your tennis shoes.  You can buy them at the visitor center at the trail head for about 10000 won.

Frozen Crater Lake at Sara Oreum

Japanese Cedar Forest (삼나무)

From Sara Oreum, you can see the summit of Hallasan, or down into Seogwipo City

Once you get to the fork, it's only about 15 minutes to the top of the Oreum

Sara Oreum is in Hallasan National Park, 5.8km up the Seongpanak Trail.  The trail isn't very steep, but the ground is uneven.  Plan 4-5 hours roundtrip. The 5.16 road bus takes you right to the Seongpanak trailhead. 

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